Show Placings
Manchester Championship Show
15th Jan 2026
Judge: Dr Ian Gabriel (Gaybryl)
Many thanks for the lovely entry, both in terms of quality and quantity. I thoroughly enjoyed my day with the Border Terriers. When I last judged I felt there were too many with houndy large ears, this did not seem to be replicated in today’s entry which was pleasing and expression was generally much improved. What I did notice was that front action is something that we need to watch. Being Manchester and the last Championship show pre Crufts there were quite a few dogs who had been stripped in preparation and quite a few out of coat. In part that did play a part in some of my fineer placings.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
First Place
Name at show: Sandyfaulds Finn Mccool
Placing Critique
Nice young male who impressed me for his overall balance and proportions. He has a pleasing head with a good breadth of skull and a good short strong muzzle. Neat, keen dark eye and pleasing small, well carried well shaped ear. He has enough neck into well placed shoulders. His front assembly is correct. He has a depth to his chest but is narrow through and well ribbed back. Nice racy hindquarters. He has a good coat which is harsh with a good undercoat. Good pelt. Very raw puppy and needs a lot of time. On the initial go around he side-winded a little bit but managed to collect himself and later in the class moved well with correct footfall and I was pleased to award him his class
Scottish Border Terrier Club Limit Show
25th Jan 2026
Judge: Nicola Howard (Tyneotter)
I would like to thank the club and committee for the invite to judge their show, this was my first judging appointment for several years so I particularly appreciated of my stewards, Katrina and Liz in keeping the ring running smoothly.
Thank you to all the exhibitors for making the journey and allowing me to go over their dogs. There was a lovely friendly atmosphere around the ringside.
On the day I thought the quality of the bitches surpassed the dogs overall. Movement seems to be an issue, particularly coming but I did find some lovely exhibits who covered the ground effortless.
Fitness and muscle tone was lacking in a few of the exhibits which I was surprised about and did factor into my decision making, they are ‘essentially a working terrier’ after all.
Coats were varied with a number in full coat, some in between and a few with little coats. Bites were good .I found one kinked tail.
Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Sandyfaulds Finn Mccool
Placing Critique
Another 6month old G&T who was taller framed, however he was narrow throughout making him easily spanned, with a good length in neck and level topline.
He had a super harsh, double coat with a lovely thick pelt and nice carrot tail which he held well on the move.
He had a pleasing expression, a slightly longer muzzle than the first with a little more stop but still has lots of time to develop.
He was a little unsettled on the move today and was ‘crabbing’ but there were flashes of a nice length of stride in profile when he got going.
The Border Terrier Club Open Show
21st Feb 2026
Judge: Mrs Laura Jordan-Smith (Jordith)
Minor Puppy - Dog /
Third Place
Name at show: Sandyfaulds Finn Mccool
Crufts
6th Mar 2026
Judge: Mrs Hilary Gilpin (Otterbobs)
Thank you to the Crufts committee for inviting me to judge and bringing my appointment forward one year. Many thanks to Pam Cox and Judy Carr for the professional stewarding they provided.
I enjoyed a full day’s judging and was very pleased to hear the applause from around the ring when dogs were placed, good sportsmanship.
Out of 264 entries, I had one wry mouth, one kinked tail, 6 very underweight dogs none of them placed. Dogs that had no coat were penalised as were very thin pelts. As a dog groomer of 48 years, I know when coats are chalked, not nice to feel. One exhibit while on the table had only one testicle the owner was gobsmacked but felt it and agreed there was only one, I was blamed for having cold hands!!! what after handling dogs in previous classes, ten minutes later the said dog came back for me to check again and yes there were two. I was disgusted to find an exhibit with sores on both cheeks; I was told what happened. And I’m leaving it there.
Teeth were very clean, only one tooth lost in an oldie.
I thought movement really should have been better than it was today, as I said thin pelts and no coats were penalised.
If I repeat myself with the first two placings that’s because they were what I was looking for.
Minor Puppy - Dog /
Second Place
Name at show: Sandyfaulds Finn Mccool
Placing Critique
Light red with no coat at all, decent length of body, straight front legs, slight tuck up, crabbing on the move.
